Reading of Narrative Text
Si Kancil and the Crocodiles
Once upon a time, in a thick forest beside a long and quiet river, there lived a mouse deer named Si Kancil. He was small, but he was known for his sharp mind and confident behavior. Because of his cleverness, Si Kancil often trusted his own ideas more than he should. He enjoyed exploring new places and rarely felt afraid of danger.
One morning, while walking near the river, Si Kancil noticed fresh fruits and green leaves growing across the water. The forest on his side had become dry, and food was no longer easy to find. He wanted to cross the river, but the current was strong and deep. As he looked closer, he saw several crocodiles resting quietly near the riverbank.
At first, Si Kancil stepped back in fear. However, after watching the crocodiles for a while, he began to think carefully. He noticed that they stayed still and reacted slowly. After that, an idea came into his mind. Si Kancil stood near the water and called out loudly to get their attention.
The crocodiles lifted their heads and listened as Si Kancil spoke confidently. He claimed that the king of the forest wanted to know how many crocodiles lived in the river. He added that the strongest and most helpful crocodiles would be remembered by the king. Feeling proud and important, the crocodiles began to talk among themselves and agreed to help.
Then Si Kancil asked them to line up across the river so he could count them easily. One by one, the crocodiles formed a long line from one side to the other. Si Kancil stepped carefully onto their backs, counting aloud as he moved forward. The crocodiles remained still, believing that they were taking part in an important task.
Finally, Si Kancil reached the other side of the river safely. He jumped onto the land, thanked the crocodiles, and ran quickly into the forest. Only after some time did the crocodiles realize that they had been used. The river became quiet again, while Si Kancil disappeared among the trees on the far side.
Text Analysis
Title: Si Kancil and the Crocodiles
1. Orientation
The story begins by introducing Si Kancil, the main character, and the setting, which is a forest near a river. The reader learns about Si Kancil’s personality as a clever and confident mouse deer. This part helps the reader understand who the story is about and where it happens.
2. Complication
The problem starts when Si Kancil wants to cross the river to get food, but the river is deep and dangerous because there are many crocodiles. To solve this problem, Si Kancil creates a plan and tells the crocodiles that he is sent by the king of the forest to count them. The complication becomes more serious as the crocodiles believe his story and follow his instructions.
3. Resolution
The resolution happens when Si Kancil successfully crosses the river by stepping on the crocodiles’ backs. After reaching the other side, he runs away into the forest. Later, the crocodiles realize that they have been deceived, but Si Kancil is already gone.
4. Moral Value (Implied)
The story implies that intelligence can be used to solve problems, but actions also have consequences for others. The moral lesson is not stated directly and is left for the reader to understand.
Grammar Check
1. Using Simple Past Tense
The narrative text uses the simple past tense because it tells a story that happened in the past. The simple past tense is formed by using Verb 2 (V2).
Examples from the text with verb forms:
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There lived (live → lived) a mouse deer named Si Kancil.
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Si Kancil noticed (notice → noticed) fresh fruits across the river.
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He wanted (want → wanted) to cross the river.
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The crocodiles listened (listen → listened) carefully.
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Si Kancil reached (reach → reached) the other side safely.
These verbs show that the events happened in the past.
2. Using Action Verbs
Action verbs describe what the characters do in the story. They make the story more vivid and easier to imagine.
Examples of action verbs with verb forms:
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walked (walk → walked)
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noticed (notice → noticed)
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called (call → called)
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asked (ask → asked)
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stepped (step → stepped)
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counted (count → counted)
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ran (run → ran)
These verbs help readers imagine the actions in the story.
3. Using Temporal Conjunctions
Temporal conjunctions are used to show the sequence of events in a narrative text. They help the reader understand when each event happens.
Examples from the text:
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Once upon a time
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One morning
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After that
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Then
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Finally
These conjunctions guide the reader through the story in the correct order.
Quiz
To test your understanding of the text, please do the following quiz!